Knock-down chair



June 28, 1966 TOWNS 3,258,294

KNOCK-DOWN CHAIR Filed June 9. 1965 I NVENTOR.

Maur/ee 1. 7510/75 BY United States Patent 3,258,294 KNOCK-DOWN CHAIR Maurice I. Towns, Wadley, Ala., assignor of fifty percent to Wadley-Mann, Inc., a corporation of Alabama Filed June 9, 1965, Ser. No. 462,605 1 Claim. (Cl. 297-440) This invention relates to a knock-down chair and more particularly to such a chair which may be assembled with a minimum of effort and time and which shall require a minimum of space for storage and shipment.

An object of my invention is to provide a knock-down chair which shall embody a base section and a top sec tion which are detachably secured to each other by two screws or bolts after the sections are assembled relative to each other.

Another object of my invention is to provide a knockdown chair of the character designated which shall include improved means for limiting relative movement between the sections whereby a sturdy, composite unit is provided.

A further object of my invention is to provide a knockdown chair of the character designated which shall have an upwardly and rearwardly extending back and downwardly and rearwardly extending legs so positioned relative to each other that upon inverting the top section of the chair relative to the base section thereof, the downwardly and rearwardly extending legs extend alongside the back of the chair to thus provide a compact package for storage and shipment.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a knock-down chair of the character designated which shall be extremely simple of construction, economical of manufacture and one which is particularly adapted for mass production.

A knock-down chair showing features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the manner in which the top section of the chair is secured to the bottom section thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1, partly broken away;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, drawn to a smaller scale, showing the top section of the chair removed from the base section thereof; and,

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing the top section of the chair inverted and nesting on the base section thereof.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, my improved chair comprises a top section indicated generally at and a base section indicated generally at 11. The base section 11 is provided with laterally spaced front legs 12 and 13 and laterally spaced rear legs 14 and 16. Preferably, the upper ends of the rear legs 14 and 16 are formed integrally with generally horizontal side support members 17 and 18, respectively. The forward ends of the side members 17 and 18 are preferably formed integrally with a horizontal front support member 19, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Accordingly, the front support member 19 forms with the side support members 17 and 18 a generally U-shaped structure which is connected at its rear ends to the supporting legs 14 and 16. The upper ends of the front legs 12 and 13 are secured rigidly to the front support member 19 and the side support members 17 and 18 adjacent the points of juncture thereof. Suitable horizontal brace members 21 rigidly connect the supporting legs to each other, as shown in FIG. 1.

The top section of the chair comprises a seat 22 which is connected at its periphery to a depending front flange 23 which is adapted to extend downwardly alongside the outer surface of the front support member 19, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Secured to the sides of the seat 22 and to the ends of the depending flange 23 are depending flanges 24 and 26 which are adapted to extend downwardly alongside the outer surfaces of the side support members 17 and 18, as shown. Secured to the rear side of the seat 22 and to the rear ends of the depending flanges 24 and 26 is a depending flange 27. Preferably, each depending flange 23, 24, 26 and 27 is formed integrally with a horizontal flange which is secured to the seat 22, as shown in FIG. 2. That is, the horizontal flanges and the depending flanges 23, 24, 26 and 27 define angle members, as shown.

Secured to and extending inwardly of the lower edge of the forwardmost depending flange 23 are spaced apart members 28 which are adapted to engage the under surface of the support member 19, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The inwardly extending projections 28 are thus in position to engage the support member 19 to limit upward movement of the front portion of the top section 10 relative to the base section 11.

Secured to the base section 11 adjacent the point of juncture between the side support members 17 and 18 and the downwardly and rearwardly extending legs 14 and 16 are inwardly extending tab-like members 29. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tab-like members 29 are in position to engage the inner surface of the depending flange 27 as the top section 10 is moved into place on the base section 11. Preferably, the depending flange 27 extends slightly rearwardly, as shown in FIG. 2, to facilitate installation. That is, the depending flange 27 defines with its adjacent horizontal flange an angle slightly greater than Suitable threaded openings 31 are provided in the tab-like members 29 for receiving threaded securing members 32, which may be in the form of threaded screws, bolts or the like. Openings 30 are provided in the flange 27 in alignment with the openings 31 for receiving the securing members 32.

Secured to the bottom 22 adjacent opposite ends of the depending flange 27 is an upwardly and rearwardly extending back 33. The upper ends of arm members 34 are secured to opposite sides of the back 33 by suitable means, such as by welding at 36. The lower ends of the arm members 34 are secured to the depending flanges 24 and 26 by welding at 37.

As shown in FIG. 1, the front support member 19 and the depending flange 23 adjacent thereto are both curved in a generally horizontal plane to restrain relative longitudinal movement between the front support member 19 and the flange 23. That is, the inner surface of the depending flange 23 being of the same curvature as the surface of the support member 19, the support member 19 is in firrn engagement with the inner surface of the flange 23 to thus limit relative movement and at the same time form a firm connection between the adjacent members.

From the foregoing description, the assembly of my improved knock-down chair will be readily understood. To assemble the top section 10 and the base section 11 for storage or shipment, top section 10 is inverted relative to base section 11, as shown in FIG. 4, whereby the back 33 extends alongside and generally parallel to the legs 14 and 16. Also, as the top section is inverted relative to the base section, the arms 34 move downwardly adjacent opposite sides of the base section 11 to thus form a com-pact unit which takes up a minimum of space.

To assemble the chair for use, the top section 10 is positioned above the base section 11 and the inwardly extending projections 28 are inserted beneath the front support member 19 whereby the projections 28 limit upward movement of the front portion of the top section relative to the base section 11. The top section 10 is then pivoted downwardly whereby the depending flanges 24 and 26 move downwardly alongside the outer surfaces of the support members 17 and 18. Also, as the top section 10 is moved downwardly, the openings 31 in the rearmost, depending flange 27 move into alignment wit-h the threaded openings 31. The threaded securing members 32 are then moved into threaded engagement with the openings 31 to thus rigidly secure the depending flange 27 to the tabs 29 and thus complete assembly of the chair.

From the foregoing -it will be seen that I have devised an improved knock-down chair which requires a minimum of space when packaged for shipment or storage. Also, by providing a knock-down chair which may be completely assembled by employing only two threaded securing elements, the chair is completely assembled by merely inserting the inwardly extending projections 28 beneath the support member 29 and then pivoting the rear portion of the seat downwardly whereby the openings 30 move into alignment with the threaded openings 31 for receiving the threaded members. While I have shown the threaded members 32 as being in the form of threaded screws or the like, it will be apparent that bolts could be employed to secure the depending flange 27 to the tabs 29. Where bolts and nuts are employed, it would not be necessary to provide internal threads for the opening 31.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A knock-down chair comprising:

(a) a base section having supporting legs connected adjacent their upper ends to generally horizontally extending front and side support members,

(b) a top section having a seat disposed to rest on said front and side support members,

(c) depending flanges carried by said seat in position to extend downwardly alongside the outer surfaces of said front and side support members,

(d) said front support members and the depending flange adjacent thereto being curved in a generally horizontal plane to restrain relative longitudinal movement between said front support member and said depending flange adjacent thereto,

(e) projections extending inwardly from the flange alongside said front support member .in position to engage said front support member and limit upward movement of the front portion of said top section relative to said base section,

(f) inwardly extending tab-like members carried by the base section adjacent the rear ends of said side support members,

(g) at least one depending flange carried by said seat in position to extend downwardly alongside said tablike members,

(h) means to detachably connect said tab-like members to the depending flange alongside said tab-like members to secure said top section to said base section,

(i) an upwardly extending back secured to said seat,

(j) arm members connecting said back to the sides of said seat, and

(k) said arm members being spaced from each other a distance to extend downwardly alongside opposite sides of said base section upon inverting said top section relative to said base section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,603,276 7/ 1952 Lorenz et al. 297-451 3,057,661 10/1962 Moxley 297-451 3,114,575 12/1963 Eames et al. 297-248 3,203,731 8/1965 Krueger 297-239 FOREIGN PATENTS 480,178 1/1952 Canada.

1,065,343 5/1954 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner. 

